The Imprintee
by xBlibberingxHumdingerx
Summary: Claire's best friend is Quil. She realizes she loves him and tells Nessie about it. Nessie seems to know something she doesn't. How can she find out what Nessie is keeping from her? She has to tell Quil her secret. Post BD One-Shot


**A/N: Hey guys. Here's a little QuilxClaire story for ya. I've always loved that couple the most out of the pack. And I surprised myself by writing a post BD story. One-shot, never going to be more than that.**

**Summary:**

**Claire's best friend is Quil. She realizes she loves him and tells Nessie about it. Nessie seems to know something she doesn't. How can she find out what Nessie is keeping from her? She has to tell Quil her secret.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

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"I got patrol tonight, Claire. I have to go. See you tomorrow," Quil said as he got up to leave. It was a Friday night, also Quil and mine's movie night. Unfortunately, this week it was his night to be on the look out for vampires, well non-vegetarian vampires I should say. On the bright side, my friend and half vampire, was here and we were going to have a sleep over, our routine for the nights when both Quil and Jacob were on patrol.

"Ugh, do you have too?" I whined. I hated it when he had to go on patrols, but as he has explained many times before, it was for my and everyone's safety.

"Sorry Claire-bear, Jake's orders," he said. I crossed my arms.

"Stupid Jake," I muttered.

"Ahem," Nessie glared at me.

"No offense Nessie,"

"Claire, I'll see you first thing in the morning," Quil said. His burning arms, not unusual for a werewolf, engulfed me in a hug. A hug that always gave me the sense of protection and made me want to stay like this, with him, forever. I uncrossed my arms and returned the hug, wishing he didn't have to leave. He gave me a peck on the forehead, and left.

I never used to crave his hugs, his touch or warmth. I didn't acquire this addiction until recently. I also didn't long to kiss him until recently either. This was something that scared me to no end.

Quil had always been my best friend, he knew me better than anyone else did, and probably even better than I knew myself. I've known him since I was two. But because he was sixteen at the time and the huge age difference, we hadn't really become best friends until a few years ago (before, he had been like the older brother I never had), when the age difference didn't seem as big. Now technically I'm older than him, something that I was always rubbing in, which he always countered by saying that he looked older than I do, so it didn't matter.

"You know, I hate these patrols just as much as you do," Nessie said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Then why don't you talk to Jacob about it, and tell him not to have them any more. He is the alpha, plus he will do anything for you," I told her.

Jacob was Nessie's boyfriend, something that I never would have thought happen, especially since her dad, Edward, had a huge temper and because Jake used to be in love with her mother. I always thought it was a little creepy how Jake went from loving Bella, to loving her daughter, but I never said anything about it. You can just see the love radiating off of them, just like you could see it with the other couples in the pack and her family.

Nessie has known Jake for almost as long as I've known Quil. They had pretty much the same relationship as Quil and I had growing up. But somehow, Nessie always knew that Jacob and her were 'soul mates' as she tells me. And it wasn't like she was one of those crazy obsessive girlfriends that goes into relationships too fast. No, she's known it since I've met her. She says it like it was a fact, not a belief.

"Which is why he does patrols. It's _for me_ to be safe he says. Quil does these just for you too, ya know," Nessie said.

"Don't you ever worry they may not come back?" I whispered. It was my greatest fear, that they find a vampire and Quil doesn't come back to me the next morning.

"Everyday," she said sadly, "but that pack is tough, and it's gonna take a lot of vampires to take them down," Nessie smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Nessie, there's something I wanted to talk to you about," I bit my lip. I wanted to get her advice on Quil. As recently as I realized I loved Quil's presence, way more than any best friend should, I realized I loved him.

It was about a month ago, at First Beach, when we were doing a bonfire with everyone, werewolves and vampires. Even though, the tension between them had gone down since Nessie was born, to where it was almost nonexistent, it wasn't completely gone. And at these bonfires everyone put their natural hatred for each other aside and all of the tension was gone.

Everyone was gathered around the campfire and told the legends of the Quileutes, stories that weren't new to me. I had learned about the Quileutes when I was 10 and started questioning why Quil never seemed to age or why he always felt like he had a fever. Even though I've heard all the stories at least five times, they still hold the same magic as the first time I listened to them.

I was sitting in my usual spot, right next to Quil, and despite Quil's 108 degree body radiating heat, I was still shivering. Upon seeing this Quil brought me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me to stop the shivering. And as I sat there with his arms around me, I thought about how much fun we had that day, how much I laughed, and how happy I was, knowing that he was the only person that would ever make me feel like that. Soon, I was falling asleep and I realized how comfortably and perfectly I fit into his arms. I realized that I loved him. That I always have loved him and I just didn't notice it. And it wasn't just like how someone loved their best friend.

"What is it Claire?" Nessie asked, worry evident on her face.

"I think, well I'm pretty sure, I'm in love with Quil," I said timidly. Suddenly she was smiling hugely and started clapping her hands together, reminding me of Alice. She obviously didn't see my dilemma. I thought she would know what I was going through because Jake was her best friend before they started dating.

"You have to tell him!" she squealed. I looked at her crazily.

"What? No! Are you crazy?" I nearly yelled.

"No, I'm just a half-vampire that knows what she's talking about," she said with a smile.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, with a raised eyebrow. She defiantly looked like she knew something that I didn't.

"I mean that I know what I'm talking about."

"Ugh. I can't just tell Quil that I love him. There is about a million ways it could go terribly wrong," I said flopping onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. I felt the bed sink next to me as Nessie lied down next to me.

"I'm no Alice, but I know everything will turn out right. Trust me."

"No Nessie, everything won't turn out right. He is my best friend, He's practically my brother. Plus he is 14 years older than me, he sees me as his kid sister."

"Only because he doesn't know you love him."

"How is it going to change how he sees me if I tell him?"

"Look, it's kinda complicated and I'm sworn not to tell, but it will. I wasn't even supposed to tell you that much," Nessie said. I looked at her quizzically.

"Renesme, what are you not telling me?" I asked her intensely. I rarely called her by her real name, but I wanted to emphasize that I needed to know.

"Claire, you just have to trust me. You need to tell him. I can't tell you anything else," Nessie said.

"I probably should tell him…Okay fine, I'll tell him," I said reluctantly after seeing Nessie's pleading.

"Well good, here's your chance. I hear them coming through the door now," she smiled. She hopped up from my bed and opened the door.

I sat up quickly, "Wha-".

"Hey Quil, we were just talking about you," Nessie said. I wanted to choke her.

"Were you really?" he chuckled, glancing at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Yep, is Jake home too?"

"Yea, he's right down the hall actually," Quil replied.

"Well I best not keep him waiting," Nessie winked at me and left the room. It wasn't until she slammed the door closed when I got nervous.

"What are you doing back so early?" I asked, fidgeting with the necklace that Quil gave me for my birthday last year. I thought I would have more time to prepare.

"Jacob was having thoughts about Nessie that I would rather not share and after an hour of this and us bugging him, he finally let us go," he smiled.

"Well I'm glad. I missed you," I got up to hug him.

"You're glad that I'm mentally scared?" he joked.

"I'm glad that you're not physically scared."

"Oh Claire, don't worry about that. We never see any vampires."

"What happens if you do? You could get really hurt."

"I heal fast remember? Plus, I'm just too good for a vampire to do any damage to me," he smiled and flexed his arms. I playfully punched him in the chest.

He lifted my chin up. "Claire-bear, nothing is going to happen to me," he said.

"But what if something does happen? I don't know what I would do without you."

"You would get a normal life, one where you would have to live with constant danger. You would manage," he said, almost sadly. He dropped my chin and walked over to the chair that rested by my window. I followed him and sat myself on his lap, letting my head rest in the crook of his neck on his chest. I wrapped my arms around him, trying to comfort him.

"The thing is I don't think I could manage. I need my protector."

"I'm not much of one, when I'm the one you need protecting from. I could accidentally phase and hurt you at any moment," he said, "I don't know what _I_ would do without _you_. You're my best friend; I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you." I squeezed him tighter, trying to convey that I didn't think he would hurt me. He wrapped his arms around me and we sat like that in silence. I don't know how long we sat like that, but I was very content in his arms. I didn't want to ruin it by telling him, at least not yet, but I had a burning question I had to ask him.

"Quil," I started, I didn't know exactly how to word this without giving away my secret.

"Yea, Claire?" he started playing with my hair.

"Is there something you're not telling me? Something that Nessie knows, but I don't?" I asked. I could hear his heart racing in his chest.

"I'm not supposed to tell you Claire, at least not yet," he said with a pained expression.

"Nessie made it seem like if I told you my secret, I would find out what you guys aren't telling me," I said. I was trying to prepare myself for what I knew was coming next.

"Your secret?" he asked cautiously. You could see that he was hoping for something.

"I don't want you to get mad at me," I said. I worried he might hate me for ruining our relationship if I told him.

"I won't get mad, I promise," he said. I took a deep breath. Here it goes.

"Quil, I love you and not just as friends. I'm in love with you. I think I have always been, but I didn't realize it until recently," I said a bit rushed. I looked up at him to see his reaction. It surprised me. He was grinning wider than I have ever seen him before.

"You thought I would get mad at that?" he laughed. He looked like the happiest person in the world, a definite good sign. Before I could say anything, his lips crashed down onto mine.

The kiss was like nothing I had imagined it, mostly because it was so much better. It was short and sweet, but it conveyed so much of the emotions that had been bottled up. In that kiss, I knew that this was where I was supposed to be, here in his arms, with him.

"I love you Claire. You don't know how long I have been waiting for you to say that," he smiled. I laughed.

"I should trust Nessie more, she said it would end well if I told you," I pecked his lips, happy that I could do that freely now.

"She knows what she's talking about. I'm really glad you told me."

"Could you tell me what she knows and I don't, and why I had to tell you that I loved you first?" Curiosity was just killing me.

"Ok, well, when I told you about what we are, I left out a part. I wasn't supposed to tell you until you turned eighteen, unless you said you loved me first. Werewolves do this thing called imprinting," he began. I was so confused.

"Imprinting?"

"It's like love at first sight, but much stronger. We are bonded to that person and nothing can break it," Quil said. Everything was clicking into place.

"And I'm the imprintee?"

"Yes, I guess you could call it that," he chuckled.

"Well, being your imprintee is the best thing I could have ever wished for," I said beaming. Nothing could get better than this.

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